Cerebral palsy no obstacle to young lady's charity

MIDDLETOWN -- Sara Gildersleeve is on a mission to prove that disabilities and handicaps are no deterrent to her life.

CHARLENE NAIDOO

Published
12:00 am EDT, Monday, August 26, 2002

This feisty and self-motivated 20-year-old is a true testament to the power of positive thinking. Although she has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy and is confined to a wheelchair, Sara does not allow this to hold her back from living her life to its full potential. With help of an aide who assists in driving and taking care of her, Sara devotes time every week to a busy schedule of volunteer work and specialized employment.

"Sara is remarkably independent and enthusiastic about working and doing her volunteer work, she always wants to keep busy and has so much energy," says Ruby Jackson, Sara's aide. Twice a week, Sara performs volunteer work, on Mondays she spends time at the Adult Day Club in Middletown and on Wednesdays she is a bingo caller at the assisted living facility One MacDonough Place run by Middlesex Hospital. Both volunteer opportunities were arranged through MARC Community Resources, a vocational agency that offers its services to students like Sara who also attends Portland High School.

"I enjoy the bingo calling and working with the elderly," says Sara. MARC also arranged for a job at Greenwald Industries in Chester for Sara, who is part of a packaging team.

Sara also helps out at her school, sometimes working in the library and the cafeteria. As a senior, she will graduate in June and has maintained a rigorous schedule of classes as well, citing chorus, ceramics and art as some of her favorites. "She is such a wonderful student, always willing to learn and always very excited about new things and experiences," says Pat Chatterdon, one of Sara's teachers.

To balance out her demanding schedule of activities, Sara relaxes by watching television, singing and taking dance classes. "She has also been a member of a Special Olympics bowling team and loves swimming as well," says Chatterdon. Having been diagnosed with cerebral palsy when she was born, Sara also has to attend physical therapy twice a week to work at strengthening her limbs and being more coordinated.

Jackson has been working with Sara for about a year now and says that they have developed a very special relationship, "Sara is a very loving and sweet person, she loves to laugh and has a terrific sense of humor.

"One of the things that might surprise people to know is that she is very independent and self-sufficient."

A new addition in Sara's life is Mattie; a trained help dog who she is already very close to. "Mattie helps me a lot," says Sara. "He picks up things from the floor if I drop it and helps to open the doors."

Sara is equally loving with her family, she has two older sisters whom she is close to, as well as her mother, Maribeth. "We are very supportive of her activities and volunteer work," her mother says.

"It's terrific that she is gives so much of her time to help others."

"One of Sara's best qualities is her thirst for more and better experiences, she is always optimistic about everything," says Jackson.

"She is a very positive person," says Chatterdon. "You would not expect someone who's physically limited to be so generous and caring, but she is."